Comments on: Don’t Let Newspapers Die… ?

By: Steph

Steph — Thu, 27 Nov 2008 00:47:02 +0000

Thank you guys for your comments. Very thoughtful and food for thought too.

I ended up joining the Reinvent Journalism group. I think it speaks more to my enthusiasm and hope for the industry than the other group does.

As for the use of newspapers… I think there might also be a trust/respect level with newspapers that just isn’t quite there yet with blogs. But who knows, if more and more journos turn to the web then that could change.

By: Paul Balcerak

Paul Balcerak — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 20:57:00 +0000

To be fair, the group does purport to support new media (“We need to bring newspapers into the 21st century & connect to a younger demographic as well as retaining the readers we have”), but it sounds like it’s still stuck on trying to preserve journalism institutions.

What bothers me is that while I feel for those who have been laid off, I don’t buy into the idea that newspapers are somehow “better” than blogs, Twitter, etc. Really the only use newspapers have is to employ journalists and popularize their work via the paper’s familiarity with readers (Web or otherwise). Worst case scenario, though (layoff), most journalists could promote their work just as well, if not better, via their own blog — which, by the way, would be as objective or biased as the writer wanted it to be.

By: Matthew Roberts

Matthew Roberts — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 20:18:12 +0000

Agreed. There are many people I work with that are members and I’ve been encouraged to join as well. It sums up the traditional side of The Unfortunate Divide which wants to cling to a past they are comfortable with instead of embracing change and evolution.

Yah… don’t join. Maybe start a different FB group to help encourage thoughts, ideas and dialog regarding newspapers in the digital era?

By: Matt Neznanski

Matt Neznanski — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 18:34:13 +0000

Hear, hear. I don’t think you need any insight at all to be forward thinking in this industry in this climate. In fact, it’s more likely a weight around your neck.
My advice: don’t join that group. What’s it going to be, a bunch of commiserating about the “good old days?”
There’s never been a “golden age” of journalism. That means the best is yet to come. Keep on putting one foot in front of the other and trying new stuff.